CRIMEFIGHTERS?

I think not . . . .

In just 18 short months away from the bustling metropolis of downtown Jacksonville, Florida, I had almost completely forgotten the sad neglect and near abuse of the unhoused mentally ill. It is STILL heartbreaking to see the population downtown without services, without direction to services or housing and without family support.

What is beyond heartbreaking, though, is the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office response to homeless people. Today I was in first appearance court—the court where those arrested last night come before a judge for determination of probable cause and setting of bail. Today, I saw at least four and maybe five homeless people targeted by undercover detectives pretending to be drug users, looking for $10 and $20 drug buys. In each case, the street dwellers (one pulled out of a tent) were offered cash to find someone with the actual drugs, and when they did just that, they were arrested for sale of drugs—of course an enhanced charge because the behavior took place within 1000 feet of a court.

That police action of course does nothing to stop or even deter $10 or $20 drug sales—it is a huge waste of police, court and correctional resources. I fully believe the sole purpose of these arrests is to “improve” the statistics of the Sheriff’s Office, which of course, gets them more money for more cops to make more insidious arrests.

Speaking of insidious arrests, today there were three people arrested for jaywalking. Fucking jaywalking! Overnight in jail, brought to face the full power of criminal-industrial complex just to be sentenced to time served. Do I need to tell you what race these scofflaws were? If this bothers you, write our sheriff and let him know you want this waste stopped. Let’s focus on real crime, not this bullshit.